Face Towels Top List Of Indian Railways’ Most Stolen Items In 4 Years; Faces ₹104 Crore Loss

Indian Railways has now reported the theft of over 1.27 crore linen items, including bedsheets, towels, blankets and pillows, which has caused a loss of ₹104 crore in just four years. Seems like many passengers have a habit of tucking bedsheets or towels into their bags while leaving the trains.

Indian Railways Reports Theft Of 1.27 Crore Linen Items In 4 Years 

For some people, trains are not just for journeys but also an opportunity to take linen like bedsheets, pillow covers and more back home. According to a recent investigation by The Indian Express, every night, about 8 lakh AC passengers across the Indian Railways network allegedly steal bedrolls, blankets, pillow covers and face towels by tucking them into their bags. In total, at least 1.27 crore linen items were reportedly stolen.

Reportedly, the theft has cost bedroll contractors an estimated ₹104.51 crore during the four-year period from 2022 to 2025. This is not something that should be taken lightly. It is definitely a concerning issue. However, authorities are making efforts to prevent linen theft and take action against offenders.

Also Read: Rath Yatra 2026: Indian Railways To Run 300 Special Trains To Ensure Smooth Travel For Devotees

Face Towels Were The Most Stolen Linen Item

According to The Indian Express, 10 divisions across seven zones account for most of the overall linen theft, making up 67% of the total. These include Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Ranchi, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Sonpur, Danapur and Bilaspur.

Talking about the items, face towels topped the list of stolen items since they are the easiest to carry. Around 46.54 lakh face towels were stolen in four years, followed by bedsheets (41.13 lakh), pillow covers (23.59 lakh), blankets (12.95 lakh) and pillows (2.76 lakh).

Reportedly, no theft was reported from two southern divisions: Tiruchirappalli and Palakkad. The Adra division of South Eastern Railway also reported no theft, but it is a freight-only division with no AC passenger coaches. Due to the theft, authorities have to incur additional costs to replace the missing linen sets. This means it is a real problem.

Also Read: Indian Railways Launches Punctuality BZA, An App To Monitor Train Movement & Delays

What do you think of this? Do you think Indian Railways should take strict action against offenders?

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/ Joeravi and Pixelshot (Representative Image)

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